Starting over-or just refining what you've got? These inspiring ideas and terrific products will improve any room in the house

BOLD AS BRASS

BOLD AS BRASS

Blending burnished and polished brass with woods such as mahogany, walnut, and African blackwood, the Nanz company has expanded its Studio Line of door hardware with handles, pulls, and knobs that evoke the California "handmade house" movement of the 1960s and '70s. Each piece is custom made in a range of sizes and finishes and is priced between $300 and $1,200.

OUT OF THE BOX

OUT OF THE BOX

When her daughter left home, French designer Isabelle Mathez was inspired to create for her a veritable kitchen in a box. The Malle W. Trousseau set costs $5,800 and comprises 43 high-grade, internationally sourced items, from Japanese Shun knives to a Mauviel frying pan and stock pot to chopping boards made by an Alpine craftsman.